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Keara Cotton: Georgia mom, 27, charged with murder of missing 4-year-old son

Jayceon Mathis, 4, who lived with his mother in Vienna, was reported missing by his family members on January 20

ATLANTA, GEORGIA: A Georgia mother was charged with murder after police discovered human remains following her four-year-old son's disappearance. The remains, however, are yet to be identified as her missing son, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation stated. Keara Cotton, 27, is also facing charges of concealing a death and cruelty to children.

In a release, GBI wrote, "The GBI is conducting a missing child investigation in Vienna, GA. On Saturday, January 22, 2022, at about 12:30 p.m., the Vienna Police Department asked for investigative assistance in order to locate 4 year old Jayceion Mathis. Jayceion was reported missing by family members that state that they have not seen him in several months. Jayceion lived with his mother, Keara Cotton, age 27, in Vienna.  Since the complaint was filed on January 20, 2022, authorities have not been able to find Keara."

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Jayceon Mathis was reported missing by his family members on January 20. His family said that the child -- who lived with his mother in Vienna, about two hours south of Atlanta -- was nowhere to be seen in months. On Monday, January 25, GA Bureau of Investigation took to Twitter to seek help in finding Mathis. "We need your help finding Jayceon Mathis. Family members reported to police on 1/20/22 that they have not seen Jayceon in several months. Jayceon lives with his mother, Keara Cotton, in Vienna, GA, and authorities have not been able to locate her since the report was filed," the Bureau wrote. "Anyone w/ info on this case is encouraged to call police. Anonymous tips can be submitted by calling 1-800-597-TIPS (8477), online at https://gbi.georgia.gov/submit-tips-online…, or by downloading the See Something, Send Something mobile app," it added.

Later the same day, Cotton was arrested and initially charged with two counts of cruelty to children. The Bureau wrote in the updated release, "The GBI has arrested and charged Keara Cotton with Murder, Concealing the Death of Another, and Cruelty to Children 2nd Degree.  Additionally, investigators obtained information that led to the discovery of human remains in Cordele, Crisp County near E. Sixteenth Avenue.  Agents will send the remains to the GBI Medical Examiner’s Office for identification."

In another similar shocking incident in Colorado earlier this month, a 37-year-old mother of two was arrested for allegedly murdering her two children — an 11-year-old daughter and an 18-year-old son. Claudia Camacho-Duenas was arrested around 2:34 pm on Thursday, December 30, 2021, on suspicion of two counts of first-degree homicide. She was nabbed by cops from an apartment complex in Glenwood Springs in the city of Denver.